Greenough Blog

Words of Wisdom from Greenough’s Summer InternsThe ubiquity of social media has made it difficult to imagine networking any other way. But leading up to, and throughout our internship with Greenough, we’ve learned that there’s a lot more to effective networking than a ‘Tweet’ or a ‘Like.’ Let us put this into perspective. I (Jillian) once went to a career fair with the determination to find myself a great internship. I was dressed to impress, I had researched the companies in advance and I had printed out several resumes. I talked to a recruiter, we hit it off and we exchanged contact information. I was off to a great start! That night I emailed the recruiter to thank her for talking with me, added her on LinkedIn, liked the company’s Facebook page, and Tweeted at them. I used every form of virtual follow up that I could......and got zero response. I thought I had done everything right.

In the age of technology, connecting to potential employers should be simpler than ever before - after all, nearly every company solicits contact through its social media. But as we've found out, connecting online is not always enough. So what’s a job-seeking college intern to do? The bottom line is traditional methods of networking such as phone calls and written letters are still essential for creating strong connections in today’s professional environment. The trick is combining both the traditional school of thought with today’s digital media-rich environment.

Photo: Thank You, Flickr Creative Commons 2013

Based on our past experiences, successes and failures, we’ve compiled a list of do’s and don’ts for students looking to land an internship or just network in general.

Do’s

Call to follow up with a contact

Meet people in person

Follow up with thank yous: letters, notes, emails, social media

Connect on Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook before and after networking events

Text/leave your phone on when at a networking event or meeting with a contact

Limit your circle to contacts within your career (you never know who could help you)

Skip an event because you are not as knowledgeable in the subject as others at the event. Attending is a great way to make new connections

Be impersonal, try to make a connection with most, and say hello to all!

Turn down chances for lunch or coffee with colleagues in higher positions or other interns. Let others get to know you on a personal level

Pass up any opportunity to learn new skills, no matter how complicated they may seem

Be afraid to ask questions, even the ones that seem simple

Photo: Hand Written Letter, Flickr Creative Commons 2013

From a current intern to a future intern, stitching together traditional and online methods of engagement not only makes connections stronger, but also bridges the gap between more experienced professionals and the new tech-savvy workers of today.